Archive for the ‘Prius’ Category

Whole Foods Market opened its jaw-dropping new Lincoln Park store on Wed., May 20, and I-GO was there for the ribbon-cutting ceremony with Mayor Daley and the Whole Foods Market brass. I-GO is one of WFM’s community partners, and the store has graciously provided us with a spectacular reserved parking space in its front lot. Needless to say, given both companies’ green missions, we put a Prius there.

The new store is insane — and we mean that in the best possible way. Huge, yes. The third biggest WFM store worldwide. But that’s not what’s impressive. Sushi bar, wine and cheese tasting bar, a healthy grill bar, a spacious bodycare and wellness area, rows and rows of reusable earth-friendly shopping bags…and a whole halibut in the seafood section that was so ginormous we thought it might wriggle free of its display case and jump in the Chicago River, which runs right past the store. One of our fave features: an automated, temperature-controlled wine machine by a California-based vendor called Napa Technology that serves different sized pours in cups. This ain’t your grandparents’ supermarket, that’s for sure.

The I-GO parking location here couldn’t be more fitting. We now have cars at five WFM stores, and besides the fact that we’re both eco-oriented and support local community initiatives, it’s important to note that grocery shopping remains the number-one reason people use I-GO cars. That’s synergy you can bottle and serve again and again and again.

We appreciate SuperEco’s plug for I-GO’s plug-ins as part of a post on the benefits of car sharing. Lisa Poisso notes: “Chicago’s non-profit I-GO service even offers Prius electric hybrids.”

Yep, we do. I-GO’s Prius electric hybrids located at Millenium Park’s north garage and at 900 S. Clark St. in the South Loop, and on a full charge they’re more fuel-efficient than Ben Gordon lacing up another three-point shot over a leaping defender.

Hybrid electric plug-ins may represent the future of personal transportation. By combining that with a car-sharing organization model, it’s a win-win situation on many levels.

Ever wonder what it’d be like to drive a car that gets 100 miles to the gallon?

You don’t have to wait until 2015, the deadline President Barack Obama set in his New Energy For America plan to put one million plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) on the road. Thanks to generous support from ComEd, I-GO just added two plug-in hybrids to its fleet.

The cars—converted 2009 Toyota Priuses—are located in the Millennium Park north garage at 201 E. Randolph Dr., and at 900 S. Clark St. in the AMLI 900 residential tower’s garage.

On a fully charged battery, these cars are capable of achieving fuel economy in excess of 100 mpg and reducing CO2 emissions by up to two-thirds over the standard Prius.

But don’t take it from us. Try them out for yourselves.

To reserve the cars, I-GO members can simply select “Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid” on the Vehicles drop-down menu on our website after you log in. Or enter the vehicle ID numbers in the space below the menu: 4405 for 900 S. Clark, 4403 for Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph.

Operating the cars is similar to that of a normal Prius (and if you need tips on that, check out the Toyota Prius Quick Guide in the I-GO Member Manual). The difference, of course, is that, before you can start the car you’ll need to unplug the extension cord from the back of the car and recoil it on the spool located next to the garage wall. (Please don’t leave the cord laying on the floor, where it may get run over and damaged.) Then, after you return the car and swipe out with your smart card, just remember to plug it back in.

Simple, right? Plug-in hybrids might be technological marvels, but fortunately, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to drive one.